Bharatnatyam - A Window into the Soul

 

The origin of Bharatnatyam can be traced to the sage Bharata Muni’s Natya Shastra and this shloka is the first shloka of the Natya Shastra, the scripture of Indian dance. It means, where the hands are, the eyes follow, where the eyes are, the mind follows, where the mind is, the expression follows, and where the expression is, the essence follows. The word Bharatanatyam” is a mnemonic of three words: “Bha” or “bhava” is emotion, “ra” or “raga” is the musical format, “ta” or “taal” is the rhythm, and “Natya” is dance.    

Bharatnatyam is a form of Indian dance that has transformed my life and encouraged me to be a better person. I have been learning Bharatnatyam for six years, and throughout my learning, knowledge was gained, physical and mental strength increased, and respect and responsibility grew. My introduction to this dance form helped me to appreciate my guru, how to begin the class with namaskaram by respecting the mother Earth, the perfect posture in which one has to dance in, the adavus (basic steps) and mudras being the fundamental teaching, emoting facial expression and ending by touching the feet of my guru and seek his blessings.

One hindrance I faced was that the songs I had to dance to were in a language that was foreign to me. However, all barriers can be overcome, and I could comprehend the meaning by listening to my gurus’ translations and then writing them down in my notebook. That helped me understand what story I was presenting, and how to express it better. 

Bharatnatyam has brought me much joy and passion and made me feel grateful that such a beautiful dance form exists in this universe. I always look forward to learning and performing these stories. The bright and beautiful costumes fascinate me. I am enveloped in the dance’s charisma and how it fills me with energy throughout my entire body, including my soul. It is said that one’s body is a temple, and we must keep it clean and pure, Bharatnatyam being the source of my spiritual well-being.